Celebrate the rich stories of many Asian cultures that shape the United States this May with the Alachua County Library District.
Congress established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in 1978, selecting May to keep with the month when the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the United States and the completion date of the transcontinental railroad in May 1869, thanks in large part to Chinese workers. Congress expanded the observance to the whole month of May in 1992.
In 2020, an estimated 24 million people identified as Asian and 1.6 million identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander in the U.S., according to the 2020 Census. Asian Americans had the fastest population growth of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S. from 2000 to 2019, increasing 81 percent, according to the Pew Research Center.
Explore the stories of Asian Americans this month with books and movies for all ages in our collection. Check out great stories in print from your favorite branch or enjoy them instantly with our digital and streaming services. Expand your understanding even further by learning the basics of Hindi, Mandarin, Indonesian, Thai, and other languages using our Transparent Language online tool.